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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796997">The Lost Princess</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemillion_Dreams/pseuds/Lemillion_Dreams'>Lemillion_Dreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 12:40:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemillion_Dreams/pseuds/Lemillion_Dreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember..."</p><p>Garazeb Orrelios hates to think about the fall of the Lasan and does his best not to remember it. One day while on a mission with the Ghost crew, he sees someone that brings those memories to the forefront of his mind. Zeb's former status as Captain of the Honor Guard is unearthed when he realizes the Royal Family may not have been completely destroyed after all... </p><p>Basically a Star Wars Rebels fic focused on everyone's favorite Lasat and inspired by the movie/legend about the Russian princess Anastasia!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexsandr Kallus &amp; Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios, Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios &amp; Ghost Crew, Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios &amp; Original Female Character, Kanan Jarrus &amp; Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garazeb Orrelios wandered into the garden outside of the palace, on patrol as usual during this time of the day. Though he was working, he enjoyed the current responsibility he was fulfilling. Walking through the garden always calmed him, it was full of all sorts of exotic flowers and greenery. These plants all seemed to be responsive to the world around them in their own way. As if this experience couldn’t be any more serene, the early afternoons in Lasan were almost always warm and sunny, never too hot or cold.<br/>
Zeb smiled as he saw the youngest member of the royal family, Aisatsana Nambora, run into the garden from one of the back doors of the palace. She looked as energetic and jovial as usual, skipping and singing a little tune. He loved the whole royal family, but Aisatsana had a special place in his heart. She was the youngest at three years old, and also the only princess.<br/>
As Zeb got closer to her, she looked over and bounded towards him, a carefree smile spreading across her face. “Captain Orrewios!” She had a fondness for Zeb just as he did for her; he was her favorite member of the honor guard.<br/>
He bowed to her playfully, knowing her use of his full title was in jest. “Princess Aisatsana!”<br/>
She grabbed his hands, which were enormous in comparison to hers. “Pway with me!”<br/>
He took her hands and lifted her into the air, spinning her in a circle as she cackled. Before he knew it, he was laughing right along with her.<br/>
Zeb set her back on the ground and she swayed where she stood, “I’m dizzy! Do it again!”<br/>
He knelt and held out an arm for him to hold. “That’s enough for now, little one. Don’t want to get you all jostled up before the big party!”<br/>
“Party!” Aisatsana bounced in place, eyes wide. Playing had made her forget the annual Summer’s Ball that was only a few hours away. It was a yearly tradition for the Lasat royal family to host a ball in celebration of the planet’s most fertile season. All nearby citizens were invited, and there was eating, dancing, and fireworks.<br/>
“Sany!” The Queen emerged from the palace just as Aisatsana was finishing her little celebration. She was already in her white summer gown, the traditional formal clothing of Lasat royalty.<br/>
Zeb bowed again, formally this time. “Hello, your Highness. You look lovely.”<br/>
She looked at him fondly, “Thank you, Zeb. It’s time for you to get ready, Sany!”<br/>
Aisatsana scurried off towards her mother, disappointed with not being able to play for longer but excited for the night. “Okay, mommy. Bye, Zebby!” She waved frantically towards Zeb.<br/>
“Bye Sany! See you tonight!” Zeb circled the garden one last time before going to put on his own formal armor. </p><p> </p><p>    After putting on his formal wear and giving the royal family some time to get ready, Zeb walked over to their suite in the palace. He tapped on the door gently. “Your majesties?”<br/>
The door was cracked open, and a maid stuck her head out. “Hello, Garazeb! You can come in.”<br/>
“Thanks, Lia.” Zeb followed her in and bowed to the royal family. They stood before him, dressed in pure, ethereal white. The King, Queen, two princes and princess all looked glorious: they seemed to radiate goodness as they stood together.<br/>
“You all look magnificent.”<br/>
The king came over and patted Zeb’s shoulder. “As do you, Garazeb. You don’t look nearly as sweaty and dirty as usual.” He teased; their friendship was as old as Zeb’s employment to the royal family.<br/>
“Ah, enough of that.” Zeb looked away, flattered. His formal armor was a pure white to match the Namboras’ clothing. Kyber was infused to the metal around his chest, elbows, and knees, giving the suit an iridescent glow. “Are you all ready?’<br/>
“Not quite! We have a tradition to carry out.” The queen hurried over to her dresser and emerged with a wooden box. She knelt in front of Aisatsana, opening the box to reveal a necklace made of woven cloth. On the necklace was a gem made of pure kyber.<br/>
“Sany, tonight is your third Summer’s Ball. This means that you get a special necklace like mine. This necklace will be yours forever, just as the ones of every female member of the royal family before you. Want to try it on?”<br/>
Sany tilted her head with curiosity. “Okay!”<br/>
The Queen tied the necklace around Sany’s neck and leaned back to take a look. The gem on it looked to be too big for her in the moment, but this was because it was cut to be a size that she could comfortably wear as a child but also grow into. Every time she grew substantially, the woven parts of the necklace would be loosened so that it would fit her better.<br/>
As Zeb and the rest of the family watched, the kyber of the jewel began to glow. The glow was a swirl of blue and green; it looked like a vibrant kaleidoscope against her white dress.<br/>
Aisatsana gawked at her new piece of jewelry. “Mommy, it’s just wike yours!”<br/>
“It sure is!” Sure enough, The Queen’s kyber jewel was glowing as well. “There’s a special stone in there that glows when it’s around you. And guess what? It will only do it for you!”<br/>
“Yay!” Aisatsana clapped, and the rest of the family circled around her and gave her congratulatory hugs. Zeb felt honored to have been able to watch the occasion.<br/>
The king addressed Zeb next. “Okay, Captain Orrelios. I think we are now ready.”<br/>
“Excellent.” The family walked towards the door with Zeb following behind them. </p><p> </p><p>    By sunset, the party was in full swing. There were delicacies from all over the planet and music was in the air. The setting sun left the sky in lovely shades of orange and pink, and people milled all around the ballroom. Everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves, talking and laughing without a care in the world.<br/>
The royal family loved the ball; it was one of their favorite occasions all year. They loved to be able to welcome their citizens and enjoy spending time with them, checking in with them to make sure all of their needs were met. They believed it was one of the best ways to stay in touch with their people in a fun, meaningful way.<br/>
Zeb wandered around the party, snacking as he walked. He was enjoying it, but he had to stay on alert in case something bad were to happen. He watched everyone, getting a good feeling about all the attendees. No one seemed to be acting suspicious.<br/>
Zeb wandered outside to the garden to make sure everything was going well there. As soon as he made it outside, his blood ran cold. While the Lasats in attendance had been enjoying the ball, the outside world had become a warzone. There was smoke in the air, and screams came from every direction.  A whole fleet of Imperial ships hovered in the sky.<br/>
The fur on his arms stood as he raced to the edge of the garden to see if there were invaders. Sure enough, a herd of stormtroopers was headed towards the palace, armed with ion disruptor rifles.<br/>
Zeb tore back into the palace, trying not to run anyone over as he looked frantically for another member of the honor guard. He didn't have to look for long; he saw one as soon as he entered the ballroom. He grabbed his arm, “Gron, there’s an emergency! The Empire is here, right now! Go get the bo-rifles, I’ll warn the king!”<br/>
“Yes, sir!” Gron ran off as Zeb searched the room for the king. As soon as he saw him, he darted over to him and pulled him away from a conversation he was having. “I’m sorry your majesty, but we have a crisis on our hands. The Empire is here. We have to stop the party and get everyone to safety. You and the rest of your family need to get to the safe zone, now.”<br/>
The king looked at him in horror, trying to process what he was saying. It seemed like such a wrong time for the Empire to be there, but there was nothing they could do to change it. All that was left for them to do was fight.<br/>
The Queen came up then, with Aisatsana on her heels. “What’s the matter?”<br/>
The King looked at her solemnly. “We’re under attack.”<br/>
The queen pulled Aisatsana closer as she glanced around. Calling the princes and hoping they could hear her. They came running up right on cue, much to the Queen and Zeb’s relief.<br/>
“Zebby?” Aisatsana tried to take Zeb’s hand, looking up at him innocently.<br/>
Zeb knelt before her, taking her hand in return. “There’s some bad people here, Sany. Me and the other guards are going to take care of them. You go hide with your daddy and mommy.”<br/>
She squeezed his hand tighter. “Don’t go, Zebby!”<br/>
“I have to keep you safe. I’ll come find you when it’s over.” He gave her a quick hug as Gron came up with the bo-rifles. Zeb took his as he stood, nodding to the king and queen before sprinting towards the danger.<br/>
The King and Queen as well as some members of the honor guard cried out warnings as they ran through the crowd. The other guards found their way to Zeb, who extended his bo-rifle effortlessly. It glowed and crackled with energy, and he led a charge towards the stormtroopers who were beginning to invade the palace.<br/>
Despite being caught off guard by the attack, the honor guard employed all of the training they had conducted throughout peaceful times with precision. Zeb and his followers tore through the Imperials, fighting with a passion they hadn’t felt in ages. The stormtroopers they encountered were no match for the brute strength of the honor guard.<br/>
That is, until the disruptor rifles were employed. Troopers entered wielding the deadly weapons and began firing sporadically. Zeb watched helplessly as the weapons began to disintegrate his people.<br/>
Enraged, he found the nearest rifle-wielding stormtrooper he could and tackled him, ripping the weapon away from him as he snarled.<br/>
“You keep that blasted thing away from my people.” He slammed his bo rifle against the side of the trooper’s head and stood, continuing with his defense of the palace.<br/>
Despite the troopers’ efforts, the palace was intact. Citizens that hadn’t been killed by rifles had fled, and the honor guard had deployed all of their might. Zeb knew they wouldn’t be able to save everyone, but they were carrying out their primary duty of protecting the royal family, and that gave him peace despite the chaos. It seemed like Zeb and his honor guard were finally starting to gain an advantage against their adversaries.<br/>
Just as his fear was beginning to diminish, there was a deafening boom. Zeb felt himself fly backwards as he blacked out. </p><p> </p><p>    Aisatsana hid with her family in the corner of their secret closet. None of them said a word, each terrified that imperials could be just around the corner at any moment. They didn’t know how long they hid for; time seemed to be going faster and slower all at once.<br/>
“Check there!” They heard stormtroopers right near them, and they knew that they were about to be found. They huddled together, whispering love and comforting things. All except for Aisatsana, who scurried away to the other end of the closet just as the stormtroopers made it to their hiding place.<br/>
Aisatsana covered her ears as her family screamed. She had found shelter behind a table in the closet, and she didn’t dare to move. Hearing the screams immediately caused her to burst into tears, but she remained where she was as if paralyzed by fear.<br/>
She stayed that way for what felt like hours, until suddenly she heard the door to the closet open again. Heavy footsteps echoed in the room, each one getting closer and closer to her. Before she knew it the table she was hiding behind was shoved out of the way, and she shook as she looked up to see a stern looking man scowling down at her.<br/>
Alexsandr Kallus smirked in twisted amusement at the prize he had just found. “Ah, I see. You ran off when it got too scary for you.” He withdrew his blaster and pointed it directly at Aisatsana’s face. “You can’t hide from the Empire, you royal vermin.”<br/>
Aisatsana cowered below him, and although he had the perfect shot, he didn’t pull the trigger. He stood over her, aiming at her, motionless. This was what he came there to do, what he intended to happen, but he couldn’t do it. The child seemed so small and helpless, and the whole scenario felt unjust.<br/>
He lowered his blaster, oddly relieved as another idea formed in his mind. “Actually, I know the perfect place for you.” </p><p> </p><p>    Zeb opened his eyes and looked up, trying to process what he was seeing. He saw stars, but didn’t understand. Hadn’t he been in the palace?<br/>
He sat up and immediately looked around in horror. The palace had been destroyed. All that was left was some parts of the foundation and a few windows. It was nothing like it had been, nothing like the palace he knew like the back of his hand.<br/>
He stood as pain coursed through his head. “Your Majesties!” The royal family was the only thing on his mind. He didn’t see or hear them, but was determined to keep looking. He ran around what remained of the palace, trying desperately to find those he was charged to watch over. He called the names of each member of the royal family over and over, his voice cracking more with every call.<br/>
“Aisatsana!” He began to focus on calling only the princess’s name as he looked, knowing she would come running if she heard him. The more he unsuccessfully looked, the more despair set in.<br/>
“Sany!” He called the child’s name one last time, out of both desperation to find her and overwhelming grief. He crumpled onto the floor as his head swirled: his worst fear had happened. Lasat fell to the Empire.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Seven Years Later</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why do these weapons have to be in Zyggeria?” Sabine scoffed as Hera began to land the Ghost in the capital city of the planet. Zyggeria was known for its slave empire, still intact even after the Clone Wars.<br/>
       "Slavery’s rampant. Most people just don’t realize it.” Kanan answered, wishing he could survey the terrain of the planet. He was disgusted by Zyggeria just as much as Sabine was, but he had heard it had an interesting ecosystem; it was somewhat of a jungle planet with desert influences.<br/>
       Once they landed, Hera stood and turned to the rest of the crew. ‘Alright everybody, we’re here for those new blasters the Empire is producing here. We’re going to find them, take them, and be on our way. Understood?”<br/>
      “You got it, Hera!” Ezra bounced up and headed for the door as the rest of the group followed suit.<br/>
      As soon as they got into the heart of the city, they were all surprised by what they saw. They’d all heard the talk of the slavery, but none of them fully knew the extent of it. Everywhere they looked, it seemed like Zyggerians were whipping, pushing, and yelling at people who were serving them. The disrespect was appalling; it was hard for them to believe there were beings who actually treated other people this way.<br/>
     The Ghost crew turned a street corner and suddenly found themselves closer to an instance of this than they meant to be. Right before them, a Zygerrian extended a whip and lashed an elderly slave working for him.<br/>
They all winced, but Ezra scowled at the sight. As the Zyggerian raised his whip again, the young Jedi held it in place through the Force, keeping it from landing on the slave. He watched as the Zyggerian continued to try to pull his whip down, growling in frustration.<br/>
    Kanan noticed what his padawan was doing and elbowed him. “Ezra, stop that! We don’t need unwanted attention.”<br/>
    Ezra stopped, but only after the Zyggerian had stopped trying to whip the slave. Ezra smiled in satisfaction. “You know I couldn’t let him do it, Kanan.”<br/>
    The Ghost crew continued to walk, trying not to pay the slaver any attention as they passed. They all wanted to rescue every slave they could, but they knew that was a mission that could take them months or even years. It was a sickening part of the culture of the planet.<br/>
    “Are we almost to those weapons, Hera?” Zeb was growing impatient with wandering around. He wanted nothing more than to do what they were there for so that they could leave.<br/>
    “We should be soon. If what our contact says is right-” Hera continued speaking, but Zeb glanced off towards a side street and suddenly couldn’t take his eyes away from the street corner. There he saw a Zyggerian woman who looked like she was shopping. The woman had a young slave girl with her, who had dropped some of the many items she was being forced to carry. As the girl knelt to pick them up, Zeb knew immediately that she was undeniably Lasat.<br/>
    Zeb froze in place as he stared. Since he had helped find Lira San several months prior, he wasn’t surprised by seeing a living Lasat. It was the fact that she was a slave that bewildered him. Not only a slave, but a child slave.<br/>
    “Zeb! You good?” Sabine called back to him.<br/>
    “Oh! Yeah, just…” Zeb continued to watch the girl. As they got closer, he was able to hear the way the girl’s master spoke to her. She barked orders, seeming endlessly displeased by what the child did despite her best efforts.<br/>
    “I’m sorry, Master!” The child squeaked as she happened to look up directly at Zeb. The fact that he was also a Lassat didn’t seem to faze her, as she was distracted by her predicament.<br/>
    But Zeb felt as if his whole world came to a standstill. Her voice and demeanor...those eyes...could it be?<br/>
    “Princess?” He spoke aloud as if she could hear him, but the crew was the only one there to answer him.<br/>
    “What, Zeb?” Hera turned to him.<br/>
    “Hera...do you see that slave girl there?” They were beginning to walk past the street corner, but Zeb and the rest stopped walking so they could keep looking.<br/>
    “Yes, I see her. She’s a Lasat.”<br/>
    “She is. Not only that though. I think she’s the princess.”<br/>
    Kanan looked at Zeb incredulously. “Zeb, are you okay? If you’re having some memories resurface, we can talk about it-”<br/>
    “No, it’s not that! That just looks so much like her. I never imagined…” his voice trailed off as he watched the Lasat child walk off with her master.<br/>
    “Come on, Zeb. We have other things to do right now.” Hera pitied him; she knew how he felt seeing his own kind enslaved. She had seen numerous Twi’leks since they arrived on the planet. Still, if they deviated from the plan, those weapons would get sent off before they had a chance to recover them. They needed to do what they went there for.<br/>
    Zeb knew this, and he followed Hera as they continued the mission. Despite continuing to walk, his mind stayed on the street corner. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>    The mission went as expected. The team had to skirt around some Imperials a couple of times, but achieved their goals despite this. They were pleased as they boarded the Ghost to fly back to Yavin 4.<br/>
Although the mission was a success, Zeb felt off during the entire experience. The Lasat girl was all he could think about, even despite trying to focus on what was going on around him. He knew he was off of his game during the mission, but he couldn’t help it. He decided to bring the issue back up with Kanan and Hera while they were on Chopper Base the next day.<br/>
    “Kanan, Hera. I know you told me not to worry about that child, but...I’m serious. She looked just like the Lasat princess.”<br/>
    Hera looked at him sympathetically. “I know it was hard to see that Zeb. I’m sorry.”<br/>
    “Thank you, but that wasn’t my point. I want to go back for her.”<br/>
    Kanan and Hera glanced at each other. They weren’t sure about this idea; it wasn’t like Zeb to get so caught up in something like this. Kanan spoke first. “Zeb, don’t get too worked up about what you saw. It was an awful place. Odds are she wasn’t the only Lasat on that planet. It’s highly unlikely that the princess survived what happened on Lasan. You know that.”<br/>
    Zeb sighed, turning to face Kanan directly. “Yes, I do know that. But I also know what I saw. I know you’re trying to help, but you didn’t know her. You didn’t know what she looked like, or how she acted, or the first thing about her. But I knew her, I mean really knew her, just like I knew the rest of the royal family. I would never mistake her. While I was on the honor guard, it was my duty to protect the royal family. If a member of the royal family is still out there, then my duty remains. There is nothing you can do to change my mind.” His voice was firm, unwavering. He didn’t want to have to take that tone with Kanan, but he needed him to understand.<br/>
    After a pause, Kanan nodded. “Understood. Tell us before you’re ready to leave.”<br/>
    As Zeb raised his voice towards the end of his tirade, Alexsandr Kallus had been close enough to hear some parts of what he was saying. All he really heard was something about a member of the Lasat royal family still being out in the galaxy somewhere; Zeb kept referring to them as a ‘her’. Kallus felt his stomach twist into knots; he knew exactly who Zeb was talking about, and he had a feeling he knew why she was brought up.<br/>
   He approached his Lasat friend. “Garazeb, may I have a word?”<br/>
    “Sure.” Zeb nodded and followed Kallus. They went and stood several feet away, behind a ship so they could have some privacy.<br/>
    “I heard you talking to Kanan and Hera. You saw another Lasat today?”<br/>
    “Yes. I think she was the princess of the royal family.. Isn’t that crazy?”<br/>
    “It is. And I can confirm it for you. It most likely was indeed the princess.”<br/>
    Zeb narrowed his eyes. “How would you know?”<br/>
    “I was the one who sold her into slavery.”<br/>
    Zeb looked off in thought, digesting what Kallus had said. Though he trusted this man, his heart ached with what felt like betrayal. He balled his hands into fists and stepped away from Kallus, his eyes now full of disgust. “How could you?’<br/>
    “It was that or kill her. When I found her, that’s what I intended to do. But she looked so scared, I just couldn’t do it. I thought if she was enslaved, she would be young enough to absorb a slave identity and leave her royal one behind.”<br/>
    Zeb felt his heart begin to race as he resisted the urge to be violent towards Kallus. “Well you were right. She was acting like the exact opposite of a princess today. You accomplished your goal.”<br/>
    Kallus knew Zeb wouldn’t take this news well, but he hoped that he would at least listen. “I know it was wrong, I know. I knew it then. Just like with most things I did for the Empire, I regret it. I am truly sorry.”<br/>
    Zeb looked away again, feeling nothing but coldness towards his friend.<br/>
    “Let me make it up to you. I’m going to help you find her.”<br/>
    “What?”<br/>
    “Come with me.” Kallus and Zeb left for Kallus’ quarters. Once they made it there, Zeb stood in the doorway as Kallus searched through his dresser. After a few seconds, he emerged out of his quarters and opened his hand for Zeb to see what he was holding.<br/>
    Zeb gasped. In his palm was Aisatsana’s royal kyber necklace that was given to her on the day of the Summer’s Ball.<br/>
    Kallus looked at Zeb humbly. “I took this from her when I took her from Lasan. I meant to sell it, but it was just so lovely, I never did. I knew it was unique. Won’t it do something special around her/”<br/>
    Zeb took the necklace, smiling despite the pain he felt. “Yeah, if it gets close enough to her, the kyber in it will glow. It will only do this for her, and no one else.”<br/>
    “So, you could use it to find her.”<br/>
    Zeb nodded. “Absolutely. Thank you,”<br/>
    “Just bring her home. For both of us.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    Kanan approached Zeb as he was loading his things into the Phantom in preparation to leave. “Hey, Zeb, would you mind if I went with you?”<br/>
Zeb turned to him questioningly. “You want to come? I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”<br/>
Kanan nodded. “That’s okay. I just thought you could use some backup if things got rough.”<br/>
“Yeah, sure. Thank you.”<br/>
Kanan put his things into the Phantom as the rest of the crew came up to wish them luck.<br/>
“You two take care of yourselves. And of my ship.” Hera said with a smirk.<br/>
“Yes and yes.” Kanan kissed her cheek as Zeb hugged the others.<br/>
Zeb turned to them and waved. “We’ll hopefully be back soon and with a princess.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zeb and Kanan flew together mostly in silence. The calm of space immersed them as they traveled, and it didn’t help that neither of them had much to say. The trip was so last minute, it had thrown their plans off for the next few days. They never knew what the Empire would do, and they didn’t like to stray from Yavin 4 for too long. <br/>    Zeb may have been silent, but his mind was full of noise. He was nervous about the trip. There were so many variables, and he hadn’t thought much about what he would do when he made it to Zyggeria. All he knew was he needed to go, and he was eager to see Aisatsana again. <br/>    “Zeb,” Kanan interrupted his thinking. “Are you okay? You’re being awfully quiet.” <br/>    “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just worried. What if rescuing her is harder than it seems like it will be? What if we can’t even find her?”<br/>    Kanan thought for a moment. “The capital of Zyggeria is big, and there’s a lot of people there. I have an idea.” <br/>    “What is it?”<br/>    “Every living thing has a presence in the Force. Most Jedi are able to pick up on a being’s presence if they are familiar with them. Would you be comfortable sharing your memories of her with me? I think if you did, I would be able to detect her presence.”<br/>    “Uh...you want to get in my head?” Zeb looked at Kanan apprehensively.<br/>    “Not extensively, I don’t think that’s a place I want to spend too much time.” <br/>    “Hey!” Zeb shoved Kanan as the Jedi laughed. <br/>    “Just kidding,” Kanan smiled. “I would only go as far as you let me go. I won’t intrude.” <br/>    “You could intrude?” Zeb asked warily. <br/>    “Well, yeah, there are Force users that have some very invasive interrogation methods. It’s a Dark Side thing.”<br/>    “See, this is why I don’t really trust the Force. There’s so much that shouldn’t be possible, but is.”<br/>    Kanan nodded. “Yeah, I agree. But don’t worry, I won’t do anything like that. And if you don’t like it, I’ll stop. How about that?” He held out his hand for Zeb to take. <br/>    “Okay, I guess.” Zeb took his hand and looked at him expectantly. <br/>    “We can start by you telling me about her.”<br/>    Zeb sighed. “Her name is Aisatsana Nambora. Sany for short. She was three when the Empire made it to Lasan. That was seven years ago, so I guess she’s ten now. Wow. Anyway, she was so cute. A tiny little thing. She was always happy and loved to play.”<br/>    “Mmhm,” Kanan could start to see her in his mind. Her little pigtails and big green eyes complimented Zeb’s description of her.  He could see her giggling and bouncing around and agreed that she was indeed cute. <br/>    “She liked to play with me while I was working. I was at the palace all the time, so she would always find me and ask me to spin her around or chase her,” he smiled at this memory, and Kanan felt his residual happiness as he could see the two of them play in the garden. <br/>    That’s really sweet Zeb. I can see her having fun with you.”    <br/>    Zeb looked at him. “Really?”<br/>    “Really. Do you want to keep going?”<br/>    “Sure. The night that Lasan fell...she...she wanted me to stay with her. She didn’t want me to go out and fight the Empire. Her family had a safe zone in the palace where they could hide if there were ever invaders. They all went there, and I thought they’d be okay. Karabast, I wish I had gone with them.” His voice began to shake. <br/>    “So this is how it happened…” Kanan’s voice trailed off as he saw the destruction. <br/>    Zeb pulled his hand away from Kanan. “That’s enough. Can you… feel her in the Force?” <br/>    “Yes. I know she’s on Zyggeria, but I can’t locate exactly where yet.”<br/>    Zeb smiled and patted Kanan’s back. “Good job.” <br/>    Before long, the two of them were landing their ship in Zyggeria again. The capital city looked just as it had the day before, as if they’d never left. Kanan found a good landing spot as Zeb looked around frantically, part of him hoping he would happen to see her on the street like he did the day before. <br/>    Once they landed, they both went out and observed their surroundings. They were in a quiet part of the city, far enough away from the center to not be noticed. Kanan inhaled and tried to tune in with the Force and with Sany’s presence as Zeb watched him with interest. <br/>    After a moment, Kanan glanced at Zeb. “This way.” They headed east, walking deeper into the city center. Zeb was filled with unease as they traveled; slavery wasn’t something he thought he would ever get used to seeing. He wondered how the people of the planet could be so used to being around it. <br/>    Kanan intermittently ran a hand across some of the buildings they passed, ensuring that they were still on Aisatsana’s trail. Though he didn’t know the girl, he could feel himself get excited as they neared her. <br/>    After what felt like the whole day to Zeb, Kanan finally spoke up. “Do you see a house with window boxes?” <br/>    “Yeah.”<br/>    “That’s where she is.”<br/>    Zeb stopped and stared at the house. It looked like most of the other concrete homes around it. With the plants surrounding it and the attentive way it was built, it almost looked homey. It was bittersweet; if Sany had to be a slave, at least she had a nice place to live. <br/>Kanan nodded to him. “Go ahead, Zeb. I’ll stand guard.” <br/>Zeb approached the front door of the house, his bo-rifle strapped to his back. Though his instinct was to be as violent as possible to the people that enslaved her, he resisted this idea. He didn’t want to scare Aisatsana. His plan was to start the encounter off gently, but he would do what was necessary to protect the princess. He smiled as he approached the door; he couldn’t believe he was finally going to see her again. <br/>He knocked on the door and waited. When there was no answer, he knocked again, more forcefully. He breathed a sigh of relief as he realized Sany’s masters weren’t there. But, unless the Force had led Kanan astray, Sany was.     <br/>He knocked a third time and called her name. “Aisatsana? Are you there?” <br/>After a few seconds, the door cracked open. A little Lasat face poked out of the opening, and Zeb beamed as his heart skipped a beat. That was definitely her face, but she was taller and looked much more mature than the last time he saw her. All at once he felt grieved by the loss of her and overjoyed by her return. <br/>He squatted to be closer to her, his voice barely above a whisper. “Sany?” <br/>She pulled backwards slightly and narrowed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I think you’re mistaken.”<br/>Zeb stood and grabbed the door before she was able to close it. “No, I’m not. It’s me, Zeb. Garazeb Orrelios. Captain Orrelios, Captain of the Honor Guard.” He didn’t anticipate her not remembering him, and he wasn’t sure what to do. <br/>    She opened the door more fully, studying Zeb from where she stood. “Garazeb Orrelios...Garazeb?”<br/>    “Do you remember me, Princess?” he asked although he didn’t fully want to know the answer.<br/>    “Why are you calling me a princess? How can I trust you?” Aisatsana felt that this other Lasat was being genuine, but his behavior confused her. He had appeared out of nowhere, insisting that she had an identity she was not familiar with. The only reason she was still talking to him was because he looked like a deep, faint memory that she had of someone she once thought of as her big friend. She thought she dreamt of this friend, but seeing him in person made her question her beliefs. <br/>    Before Zeb could answer, they heard an angry shriek behind them. “What are you doing here?”<br/>    Zeb whipped around to see the woman that he had seen pushing Sany around the day before. He scowled as she neared them. “I’m here to rescue the Princess.” <br/>    The woman mocked him with a cackle. “Princess? You must be crazy. That’s my slave, haven’t you ever seen one?”<br/>    He walked towards the Zyggerian, putting himself in between her and Aisatsana. “ I’ve dealt with your kind before. I’m sure she was expensive. Royalty is never cheap.”<br/>    The Zyggerian woman withdrew the whip she kept on her belt as Zeb withdrew his bo-rifle. “I said, she isn’t royalty. Now leave us before you end up a slave yourself.” <br/>    “Stop!’ Aisatsana peaked at her master from behind Zeb. “Don’t hurt him! He only thinks he’s trying to help me.” <br/>    The Zyggerian narrowed her eyes as she stood completely still. After a moment’s pause, she raised her whip and slashed it across Aisatsana’s face before Zeb had time to react. <br/>    Aisatsana shrieked and knelt as Zeb turned to check on her. “Sany, are you okay?”<br/>    “Her name is Ana.” <br/>    Zeb’s heart sped up as he began to growl. He was unwilling to stand there and watch this woman abuse the Princess. <br/>    Aisatsana patted Zeb’s arm to get his attention off of her for a moment. “I”m okay,” she looked back up at her master with all the indignation that seemed to have been out of her reach over the years. She began to think that if at least one person thought she was a princess, that was enough reason for her to stand her ground against the abuse. <br/>    Her master was unconvinced of any change in the slave child. “Ana, come on, you have plenty of chores to do.”<br/>    “No.”<br/>    “Ana,” the Zyggerian hissed as she walked closer to Zeb and Aisatsana.<br/>    “Captain Orrelios?” Sany looked over at Zeb with fire in her eyes.     <br/>    “Yes?”<br/>    “Please don’t let her whip me again.” <br/>    Zeb stood and fully extended his bo-rifle. It sparked and erupted with energy, and the Zyggerian squared up to face him. She lashed the whip at him, and it struck his arm with a sting. He winced but continued to move towards her, an animalistic snarl emerging out of him. He rushed towards her as she flung her whip towards him again. It looped around his bo-rifle, and he jerked the weapon back to bring her towards him. He kicked her backwards once she reached him and she landed in a sitting position, gasping for air from his kick. <br/>    He walked towards her as she stood and bashed the end of his weapon against her face. She cried out in pain, and he held the bo-rifle next to her as she knelt. <br/>    “Say her name.” he ordered as Aisatsana watched with wide eyes.<br/>    “She is Princess Aisatsana Nambora. She is the last of the Lasat royal family.”<br/>    Zeb looked at Aisatsana with satisfaction. The girl returned his gaze with a confused yet relieved smile. <br/>    “Are you ready to go, Princess?” Zeb beckoned her with his empty hand, and she walked towards him hesitantly as her mind raced. When her master confirmed her identity, it turned all of the images that had flashed through her mind from dreams into memories. Zeb wasn’t imaginary, he really had known her when she was little. She had a family. She had an identity apart from being a slave. <br/>    She felt as if the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders as she took Zeb’s hand. Zeb sighed in relief and looked back at the Zyggerian one last time. She hadn’t moved from where she was sitting, and she looked up at him with a mix of defeat and resentment. He looked at her sternly before walking off with the princess.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanan had been listening to the whole scene from a nearby street corner. Once Aisatsana and Zeb neared him, he smiled and walked over to meet them. <br/>    “Hi, Aisatsana. My name is Kanan Jarrus. I’m Zeb’s friend,” he dropped his voice to a whisper. “I’m also a Jedi.” <br/>    “Wow,” Aisatsana gawked up at him as they laughed. <br/>    “He came with me to make sure we could find you and in case I needed backup. Also, Kanan, I think that’s the quickest I’ve ever heard you tell your secret.” Zeb nudged him. <br/>    “Yeah, well, I figured she wouldn’t blow my cover.”     <br/>    As the three of them walked towards the Phantom, Sany asked Kanan, “Do you have a lightsaber?”<br/>    “I do.”<br/>    “Can I…” she smiled bashfully and looked away. <br/>    “You sure can.” The three of them stopped as Kanan moved to face Aisatsana. He withdrew and ignited his weapon as she gasped. She watched him swirl it gracefully and majestically before her, captivated. <br/>    Once Kanan stopped, Aisatsana clapped for him with glee. As they continued to walk, Zeb teased him, “Sany, look at that. You made the Jedi blush.” <br/>    Kanan tried his best to hide it. “Shut up, Zeb.” <br/>    They made it to the Phantom with no problem. Kanan boarded first and Zeb offered Sany a hand to help her in. She took a couple steps backwards, wringing her little hands. <br/>    Zeb knelt before her. “Afraid to go somewhere new?” <br/>    She nodded. “I don’t remember Lasan very much. I only really know this place.”<br/>    He nodded. “It’s okay. I know it can be scary. That’s how I felt when I had to leave Lasan, too. But where we’re going, there’s a lot of Lasat that look just like us. They’ll be overjoyed to see you.”<br/>    “Do any of them know you came to get me?”<br/>    “Nope! It’s a surprise!” <br/>    “Will you be there with me?”<br/>    Zeb looked at Kanan, who looked at him solemnly. Kanan nodded once to him, and Zeb looked back at Aisatsana. “If you want me there, I’ll be there.”<br/>    Aisatsana embraced him, and he smiled as he finally felt himself begin to relax. She was safe; he had done his job. </p><p> </p><p>    As the three of them traveled back to Yavin 4, Aisatsana peered out of the window. She didn’t remember ever traveling through space, and she was amazed by everything she saw: stars, planets, the warp of lightspeed. The ship was tiny, but she felt safe as they traveled smoothly across the galaxy. <br/>    Zeb went and sat next to her now that they had time to talk. “Hey, Sany, I wanted to ask you. Do you remember anything from Lasan?” <br/>“When you showed up at the house, you looked familiar to me. I thought I saw you in a dream. You and...mommy and daddy…” she looked off, her mind a raging storm of thoughts. When she finally looked back at him, her eyes were full of wonder. “Honestly, I was a little surprised that you’re real.” <br/>    “I know the feeling. What do you remember?” <br/>    “Just your faces. A family,” Zeb nodded as she reminisced. “I remember what they looked like. I remember playing outside with them, and you. I remember the garden.” <br/>    “Do you remember how you got to Zyggeria?” <br/>    Aisatsana shook her head. “No. One day I was with you all, the next I was there.”<br/>Zeb thought it best not to remind her of the fall of Lasan. He didn’t even like to remember it himself. He suddenly thought of the necklace that Kallus had given him before he and Kanan left. He withdrew it from his belt, having loosened it while on the way to Zyggeria so it would fit her now that she was older. “Do you remember this?” <br/>She shook her head as she reached for it. <br/>    “It’s your necklace from when you were a toddler,” he put it over her head and kept the jewel in his hand, wanting her to see that it wasn’t glowing first. “It’s made of kyber.”  <br/>    Aisatsana watched with wonder as Zeb let the jewel go. As soon as it touched her skin, it began to radiate blue and green light. She looked down at the necklace and back up at him. “Why did it start glowing when you put it on me?”<br/>    “It’s your royal jewel. It only glows for you, princess.”<br/>    She smiled, though she looked lost in thought. “I really am a Princess,” She hugged Zeb again, comforted by all of her sweet dreams of the past coming true. “Thank you, Zebby.”<br/>    He melted into her hug, having forgotten the beauty of hearing her call him by that nickname. “I’ll always keep you safe, Sany.” </p><p> </p><p>    They arrived on Yavin 4 to see all the rest of the Ghost crew standing eagerly nearby, waiting for them to land. The rest of the team was excited for Zeb and Kanan’s return, but also afraid that it had not been a success. Since Zeb and Kanan hadn’t contacted them, they didn’t know what to think. <br/>    That was until the three of them stepped out of the ship. Kanan, Zeb and Aisatsana walked to meet the crew, who were running towards them excitedly. Sany kept a hold of Zeb’s hand. <br/>    Zeb addressed the others. “Everyone, this is Aisatsana Nambora, also known as Sany. She is Lasan’s lost princess, here safe with us now.” <br/>    Hera squatted in front of the child. “It’s so nice to meet you, Aisatsana. My name is Hera Syndulla. Would you like something to eat?”<br/>    Sany looked at her bashfully. “Yes, please.” <br/>    As they walked to get some food for her, Ezra spoke to her next. “Hey Sany! My name is Ezra! I’m a Jedi like Kanan!”<br/>    “Ooh, cool!” <br/>    Kallus looked up from where he sat as he helped try to repair a ship. Upon seeing the princess, he sighed contentedly despite a swirl of guilt in his heart. He told himself to just focus  on being glad that she was safe, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of the whole thing being his fault. Sometimes his Empire days would come back to haunt him, and this was one of the worst instances. <br/>    Aisatsana saw him looking at her and waved to him. She asked Zeb, “Who is that?”<br/>    Zeb was relieved she didn’t remember him. The best thing that could happen was for her to have no recollection of their first encounter. “His name is Alexsandr Kallus. He’s a friend of mine. Would you like to meet him?” <br/>    “Yes!” She took off in his direction as Zeb followed close behind. <br/>    Upon seeing her run up to him, Kallus stood and waited for her to get close. He was petrified by the fear of her being horrified by him, by what he did for the Empire. <br/>    She greeted him before he could figure out what to say. “Hi!” <br/>    Zeb came up next and gave Kallus an approving smile. <br/>    “You must be the Lasat princess Zeb went to rescue,” He bent at the waist, lowering himself until his face was as close as it could get to the ground where he was standing. He kept his eyes lowered in reverence of her majesty, submissively humbling himself before her. “It’s an honor to meet you, Princess.” <br/>    Aisatsana giggled at his behavior, but Kallus’s glance up at Zeb during the bow showed him all the penitence he hadn’t thought to expect from the former Imperial. <br/>    Zeb played along with Sany. “At ease, rebel. She’s here on diplomatic business.” <br/>    Before they knew it, Sany had run off again to investigate something else that interested her, just as she had so many times as a toddler. <br/>    Zeb looked over to Kallus. “I forgive you.”<br/>    Kallus pulled him into a hug. Zeb could barely hear him as he whispered into his shoulder, “Thank you.”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Aisatsana was eating, Zeb pulled the rest of the Ghost cew aside to have a little meeting. “Soon, I will be taking Aisatsana to Lira San.” <br/>    Hera nodded. “Good to hear.”<br/>    “She’s asked me to stay there with her.” <br/>    The others glanced around at each other. Zeb had been on the crew for so long, none of them could imagine it without him. <br/>    Ezra spoke first. “Stay with her? For how long?”<br/>    “I don’t know. But, I’m all she has now. I’m her last connection to her homeworld and her family. She needs me.”<br/>    Hera nodded. “You’re right. Go take care of her, she needs it.” <br/>    The five of them did a group hug, each one wishing Zeb well on his journey. His exit was unexpected, but they all felt sure he would be back. </p><p> </p><p>    Zeb and Aisatsana flew in the Ghost together. After making sure she was okay from the turbulence of her rescue, Zeb decided it was time to take her to where she belonged. She had a people to lead, and even if she didn’t fulfill this responsibility for several years, she still belonged with them. <br/>    “Where are we going?” She asked Zeb as they flew. He hadn’t given her many details before they left, mainly just that there was a safe place for her to live.<br/>    “It’s Lira San. Remember the stories?”<br/>    “Oh, yeah! Daddy always told me that was where we were from, and one day the Lasat people would go back there. The child, fool, and warrior would work together to find it.” <br/>    “Well, guess what? They did work together. Lira San has been recovered.”<br/>    “Wow,” Aisatsana looked out of the window as they approached the star cluster. “Zebby, how are we going to get through there?”<br/>    “Ah, it’s easy. Hold on tight!” Zeb navigated the Ghost through the cluster, the trip going much more smoothly than it did the first time he had ever gone this way. The territory now held a familiarity to him, as if he had known the way to get there all along. <br/>    The golden aura of the star cluster portal filled Sany with wonder. They were surrounded by brilliant light as they entered lightspeed, and Aisatsana took Zeb’s hand for reassurance.<br/>    Before they knew it, they had made it through the cluster and into the atmosphere of the planet. Aisatsana peered out of the window as they began to land. The sky was its usual bronze color, and the field below them was full of green grass and wildflowers. Some housing was being built, and it reminded her of some of the houses she had seen on Lasan long ago. <br/>    Once they landed, Zeb and Aisatsana stood next to each other in the doorway of the ship. He glanced at her before opening the hatch. “You ready/”<br/>    She nodded. “As long as you’re here.”<br/>    He opened the hatch of the ship, and the two of them were immediately greeted by the smiling face of an older Lasat lady who carried a cane with her. Zeb recognized her immediately as Chava, the spiritual leader that he had first helped find Lira San.     <br/>    Chava walked closer to the two of them. “Garazeb Orrelios, good to see you again!” <br/>    “Same to you, Chava.”<br/>    The older Lasat peered at the princess, who resisted the urge to hide behind Zeb’s leg. “Garazeb, Garazeb, who do you have here?” <br/>    Zeb looked down with glee at Sany. “I think you know exactly who this is. I rescued her from slavery.”<br/>    Chava placed a hand gingerly on Aisatsana’s cheek. “Dear child, you have traveled so far, haven’t you?”<br/>    Aisatsana nodded, seeming to relax as Chava spoke to her. <br/>    “By the Ashla! Your life was preserved for this moment. You are as precious to this world as the gem you were on your necklace!” <br/>    Aisatsana smiled at Chava sheepishly as the three of them exited the ship. Chava began to sing a song in the Lasat’s native language as she led Sany to stand in front of her. The Lasan that were nearby all turned toward the three of them in interest that soon shifted to shock. Every Lasat that was within hearing distance stared at Aisatsana, dropping whatever they were doing to take in the moment. <br/>    Chava briefly stopped her singing to announce the news. “The Princess has found her way to her people! The Nambora line lives on!” <br/>    As soon as Chava finished speaking, the other Lasats roared with cheers and ran up to take a closer look at Aisatsana. They took turns hugging her and gazing at her with curiosity, all while Zeb stayed as close as possible to her. Aisatsana greeted all of them kindly, wondering how to behave towards these people that so readily proclaimed her to have the authority that felt so unfamiliar to her <br/>    Chava began to sing her song again, and everyone in the area joined in. Even Zeb, who normally wasn’t one for such ritualistic displays, joined in with the rest, singing loud and clear. They lifted Aisatsana up as she giggled and tried to sing along with them, the years of servitude and maltreatment seeming to melt away. <br/>    Zeb beamed as he helped hold the girl up, finally feeling as peace. The Captain of the Honor Guard had finally fulfilled his duty.</p>
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